November 18, 2007
The hotel where we stayed is a small one. In the hotel, there is a chapel on the second floor, and a crucifix in every room.
It is very clean hotel. There was a mass on one of the days during our stay. Every room has a small refrigerator.
It is run by nuns, who also run the hospital next door.
NOTE: There is no air conditioning. I understand that is typical with hotels in Italy since electricity is a premium there.
Being there in November, we didn't need AC. There is an electrical allotment. Even though we didn't pay for the TV (we were there
to see Rome, not watch TV), one night our lights were out for two hours while we slept. When you leave the hotel room, turn off
all electrical to help conserve electricity and not lose your allotment at a critical time.
In the middle of the hotel, you see only two windows with the metal blinds partly open.
The one on the left is in the circular stairwell area. The one on the right is our room!
When I arrived, it was the middle of the day. I went up to the glass doors, but they would not open.
I thought that was strange. There is no door knob. The two doors slide apart. Here I am, in Rome, on my
own, and I can't enter the hotel. The other three were in Venice. I'd see them that night. I hooked my carry-on size
luggage to the big one, and pulled it along beside me to the street on the left and around the corner
to see if there was another entrance. It was nothing but that wall you see going around the hotel.
I returned to the glass doors and they opened.
When you walk in the glass doors, and up the steps, the reception desk is
to the right. The steps are where you see the picture of Jesus behind glass
in the center of the picture. The reception desk is on the right side of this picture.
In a room behind the reception desk were two vending machines. I'm used to hotel
vending machines being quite expensive. I was surprised to see that is not the
case here. Bottled water was only 35 cent Euro. The cheapest I had found water
out on the street was 80 cent Euro. Go figure.
This hotel does have a breakfast. I heard many hotels in Italy do not provide breakfast.
There were pastries (typical Italian breakfast food), croissant type buns for meat and cheese,
sliced pieces of meat, sliced cheese, fruit, yogurt,
three different cereals, milk, orange juice and coffee.
In the vending area behind the reception desk, is also a door to the back patio area.
This patio area also leads to the hospital next door which is run by nuns.
Once I went to the room and did all the usual things after checking in, I went outside and
walked down the street on the left side of the hotel, which goes to Via Carini.
This picture is from half way down to Via Carini and looking back to where I started.
Along Via Carini, I passed the first of many churches in Rome.
Eventually, after only buying a bottle of water, I returned to the hotel.
Looking out the window of the room, the trees are in the park across the street. You can see them at the bottom of the picture on the top
of this page. You will see an aerial view of that park on the next page.
When I return to Rome, I will be staying here again.
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